Mother dies, child still in hospital after west Little Rock water rescue

Crews with the Little Rock Fire Department worked a water rescue off Cooper Orbit in west Little Rock. (Photo: Chris Ross/THV 11 News)

Crews with the Little Rock Fire Department worked a water rescue off Cooper Orbit in west Little Rock. (Photo: Chris Ross/THV 11 News)

Crews pull a car out of a lake near the Capitol Hill Apartments during a water rescue. (Photo: Pam Baccam/THV 11 News)

Crews with the Little Rock Fire Department worked a water rescue off Cooper Orbit in west Little Rock. (Photo: Chris Ross/THV 11 News)

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - A woman has died and her child is in critical condition at an area hospital following an incident Monday morning, which involved a vehicle being submerged in water.

"All you can think about is your family being caught in a situation like that," said Capt. John Hogue with the Little Rock Fire Dept. His rescue team got the victims out. "The first crew went in, and they were in for about five minutes and had both victims out."

The driver was identified as 39-year-old Jinglei Yi. Police said Yi was able to call 911 before she hit the lake.

Little Rock Police Sgt. Cassandra Davis said she apparently hit a patch of black ice, which caused her to lose control and slide off the road. Crews went in the water to help rescue the victims, which involved breaking the windows to access the vehicle.

Little Rock Fire Captain Edwin Woolf said his department received the emergency call to the area of Capitol Hill Apartments on Cooper Orbit Road at 8:23 a.m. By the time first responders arrived, the SUV was submerged in nearly seven feet of water, in near freezing temperatures.

"They found a couple of people inside the car. They were able to get them out of the car, and MEMs transported them to the hospital," said Capt. Woolf.

Davis said the victims were both alive when pulled out of the frigid waters.